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Lodge Recognition

In addition to individual recognition, the Masonic Home of Virginia recognizes Lodges for meeting participation benchmarks each year. Below are the two awards presented annually to outstanding Lodges in Virginia.

Most Worshipful Werner Herman Morlock, 1993-1994

Morlock Award

The Morlock award is presented to Lodges that have shown exemplary participation in giving to the Home. The award is presented to a Lodge in which at least 15% of the members each make gifts of $5 or more in any one year. This award recognizes the number of active donors, not necessarily the total dollars given. The Masonic Home is convinced that as more Masons learn to give to support the Home, the dollar totals will follow.

This award is named in memory of Most Worshipful Werner Herman Morlock, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, 1993-94.

This is the most significant award which can be presented to a Lodge for their gifts to the Masonic Home of Virginia.

Most Worshipful John Powers Stokes, 1963

The Stokes Award

The Stokes Award is presented to those Lodges whose total annual gifts to the Masonic Home (from the Lodge, its members and widows) equals or exceeds $25.00 times the number of members on the Lodge roster. For example, if a Lodge has 100 members, then to receive the Stokes award, the annual total of all gifts from the Lodge, its members and its widows must equal or exceed $2,500 (100 times $25).

Clearly, any Lodge earning the Stokes Award has proven itself to be a leader in our fraternity’s charitable efforts, much like the Past Grand Master for whom the award is made, Most Worshipful John Powers Stokes.

As a reminder, the gifts counted for Awards are based on ANNUAL gifts, meaning the gifts received in the Masonic Home’s Development Office between the period January 1 and December 31. If a Lodge feels that one or more gifts may have been “in the mail” and should have been considered for a prior year’s Award, the Masonic Home’s Development Assistant should be contacted. Lodges often “take up” contributions from members and send them to the Masonic Home in a batch. This is entirely acceptable, if done properly. Donors must understand that unless these batches have the individual donors identified, the individual donor will NOT receive credit for the gift, nor a tax deduction. Also, the money needs to be sent to the Home PROMPTLY, not held by the Lodge for months. Otherwise, the Lodge and the donor may not receive timely credit for the gift.